College tuition fees rose 3.9% in Providence County in the 2022-23 school year, according to the latest disclosure from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Data shows that students paid $44,094 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, $1,642 more than the previous school year.
Among the 13 institutions in the county, Brown University stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $65,146. Providence College followed with an average of $57,928 per year. The College Unbound students were offered the lowest annual tuition fees at $9,984.
At the time, a total of $145.9 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started at the Providence County universities in the 2022-23 school year. Additionally, federal student loans reached $40.2 million.
Currently there are 13 higher education institutions in Providence County, including New England Tractor Trailer Training School of Rhode Island, Johnson & Wales University-Online, and Lincoln Technical Institute-Lincoln.
Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.
According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.
Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.
Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.
| Institution | Number of Students Receiving Grants | Total Amount of Grants Received | Average Amount of Grant Per Student | Number of Students Receiving Loans | Total Amount of Loans Received | Average Amount of Loans Per Student |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown University | 879 | $51,314,197 | $58,378 | 170 | $2,002,636 | $11,780 |
| Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy-Cranston | 19 | $111,805 | $5,884 | 29 | $225,517 | $7,776 |
| Empire Beauty School-Warwick | 47 | $203,025 | $4,320 | 48 | $330,838 | $6,892 |
| Providence College | 944 | $28,358,170 | $30,040 | 713 | $7,662,112 | $10,746 |
| Johnson & Wales University-Providence | 967 | $24,283,556 | $25,112 | 769 | $8,518,806 | $11,078 |
| Lincoln Technical Institute-Lincoln | 450 | $2,025,323 | $4,501 | 420 | $3,457,991 | $8,233 |
| Rhode Island College | 601 | $4,205,875 | $6,998 | 354 | $2,538,371 | $7,171 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Rhode Island | 7 | $27,931 | $3,990 | 11 | $93,710 | $8,519 |
| Rhode Island School of Design | 159 | $5,842,074 | $36,743 | 145 | $1,244,918 | $8,586 |
| Bryant University | 946 | $25,985,954 | $27,469 | 586 | $8,534,566 | $14,564 |
| Johnson & Wales University-Online | 10 | $67,578 | $6,758 | 16 | $114,500 | $7,156 |
| New England Tractor Trailer Training School of Rhode Island | 686 | $3,452,801 | $5,033 | 830 | $5,522,554 | $6,654 |
| College Unbound | 6 | $48,762 | $8,127 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
